Partisan split on Central Coast after President Trump’s State of the Union address
MONTEREY, Calif. (KION) Republicans at the Monterey County Republican Party said they appreciated Trumps comments on immigration, jobs, and education. This is Trump’s last State of the Union during a heated election season.
They chanted, “4 more years,” from the Del Monte Ave headquarters as President Donald Trump took the podium for the State of the Union Tuesday night.
People at the watch party resonated with the President’s ideas on immigration and his touting of a strong economy.
“The unemployment has never been lower, the job market, the economy has never been stronger,” said Karen Reissman, president of the “Monterey Peninsula Republican Women Federated.”
Some also appreciated Trump’s mention of deserving people in the audience, including a young girl who received a scholarship to attend private school and a military family who was reunited during the address.
Democrats, though, had a much different view of the speech.
In a statement, Congressman Jimmy Panettta said, “He boasted about a strong economy, but families on the Central Coast are struggling to make ends meet with stagnant wages and no help from his $1.5 trillion tax giveaway to the wealthiest Americans.”
This is Trump’s last State of the Union address before the 2020 presidential election.
It's a crowded field for the Democratic Party nomination. Pete Buttigieg is leading Iowa after the first votes of the primary came in.
KION spoke with a Central Coast resident who is on the campaign trail with the former South Bend Indiana mayor. Volunteer Lisa Hayes said she thinks he has what it takes to take on Trump.
“He’s really positive. His message is really about the future. He has really shown he can appeal to a broad range of people,” Hayes said.
Republicans are hoping President Trump takes a positive tone.
“I think focus on the good. There’s a lot of good going on right now. I think he deserves some credit for that,” said Republican Jeff Gorman, who is running for Congress.
You may wonder, 'why is the Iowa caucus so important?' Well, every winner of the democratic caucus since 2000 has gone on to win the democratic nomination so it may foreshadow who will face President Trump in the general election.
